Yesterday, Santa loaded two UPS trucks with baskets, filled with essentials for women who have fled abusive relationships, and delivered them to the Salvation Army Church on Cawthra Rd.
As part of The Basketeers program, which has received more than 850 laundry baskets filled with gifts from more than 1,000 anonymous donors from around the GTA, 40 volunteers visited 15 shelters across the GTA yesterday, including three in Mississauga, to spread a little cheer before the holidays.
Each basket, valued at approximately $200, allows women who use shelters to escape from domestic violence to get all the basic essentials, which can often add up in cost when the women are trying to rebuild their lives. The program supplies these thousands of women, who often flee their homes with no time to gather any belongings, with kitchen, bathroom and bedroom supplies.
Cheryl Stoneburgh, who founded The Basketeers program in 2000, said these women are in dire straits and their needs are often overlooked during the holiday season.
"These baskets give women in need the opportunity for a fresh start by offering them the basic essentials most of us take for granted," she said.
The program began with only 14 baskets and has quickly grown to more than 850 baskets. The program has also grown to include locations in Stratford, Simcoe, Hamilton and York.
For more information, visit www.basketeers.ca.
jle@mississauga.net
